Today, know that Love is not punishing you. Any suffering is merely place for you to open and invite Love to be fully present. We can't, therefore, hide our suffering or shame from ourselves, out of denial or a sense that we should endure stoically, but offer it with humility and openness to Love.

In the Bible, Jesus tells his disciples that serving the sick and the desolate is serving the Christ: "In asmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of my brethren, ye have done it unto me." We must not only serve others who are hungry and despairing, but also those "least" parts of ourselves in need of compassion, tenderness, and practical care.

Our low sense of worth can lead us to mistreat ourselves, but so can our ego. We imagine that we can endure more than most people, so we should take on heavier work and emotional loads. We are more capable, we think, of going without food, sleep, or love in order to get an important job done. Our mission is particularly important, we believe, and we feel affirmed by the sacrifices we make in order to fulfill it. Maybe have been asked by others in our lives to carry more than our share, and have been praised for it - and that becomes our sense of identity.

Today, challenge those beliefs with the knowledge that you are both extraordinary and ordinary. Love loves you - specific you - with great tenderness and adoration. And Love loves everyone else exactly the same way. Do your work with a humble sense of service, recognizing and appreciating what others bring. Don't invent sacrifices Love is not asking you to make in order to bolster your ego.

The Bible include stories of Jesus casting out the "devils" of blindness and dumbness.

Today, feel that same Christ power working in our culture, our communities, ourselves, awakening us to any areas of blindness so that we may see - giving us all, no matter how marginalized, the power and authority to speak and be heard. Feel this awakening of sight and voice in your heart and mind, make space for it with others, celebrate it wherever you see it.

Today, feel that you are held in Love, cared for by Love--a foundation under you and arms around you. Love itself gives you the ability to feel comfort, love, and stability. Recognize all the simple and humble ways this love is shown to you throughout the day. Accept gifts and kindnesses from others, which are reflections of that love. Today, worry less about accomplishing and more about resting in Love's care.

K.I.S.S. Keep it simple, stupid was a catchphrase invented in 1960 as a design principle of the Navy: keep systems as simple as possible. The phrase is also a mainstay of AA and other addiction recovery programs, reminding us to simplify the systems in our lives, stick to a few core values, and not get caught up in elaborate excuses or plans.

We see our dearest friends' best qualities and value them. We speak to them with kindness and encourage them. We tell them the truth, with love. We feel gratitude for them. We want happiness and goodness and blessings for them. We demand that others treat them with respect. We believe in their strength and abilities.

Sometimes, when we're obsessed with worry about someone else's problems, that is really a call to handle the very same issues in ourselves. Worried about some one else's addiction or self-destructive tendencies or low self-esteem or chaotic life or poor choices or health issues? Vow to examine those issues in yourself and live a life of integrity - a life in healthy relationship to yourself (your body, mind, career, dreams) and to others. As members of Alcoholics Anonymous sometimes say, "Keep on your own side of the street clean."

That is not to say we don't commit to praying for others, to feeling the presence of Love in other's lives, and to helping wherever our help can do some genuine good - but we will not project hidden worries about ourselves onto other people - or use worry about others to distract ourselves from what needs attention in our own lives.

Happiness and mindfulness research has borrowed the word savor. Our human minds have a tendency to race past feelings of gratitude, love, peace, joy, light-heartedness, awe in favor or making a plan, worrying some more, and solving the next problem. In this, we miss the moments where happiness lives. From a spiritual perspective, we are ignoring God. Practice savoring meaningful and joyful moments. Really slow down and feel them. Then hold them in memory just a little longer. Don't beat yourself up if this is hard; just gently try again. Savoring is not being ignorant or ignoring suffering or shirking our duties: It is seeing God waving her arms at us, saying "Here I am! I'm here with you!"

Today, focus on feeling Love blessing you and others. Before you ruminate on your opinions, feel Love blessing you and others. Before you jump in to solve a problem, feel Love blessing you and others. Rest in that blessing. Hold to that blessing. Be expectant of that blessing. Spend time there first - and then our opinions are more likely to be shaped by Love and Truth, our actions more guided by Wisdom.